


Old Soldiers are Hard to Trick

by theninjaoshawott



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Combat Training, M/M, Original Character(s), Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, also if you comment i will love u for eternity, but you can read this as any gender really, if anyone really wants i can take away any mention of gender, its like 20 years which is a heckie of a lot, reader is a male, this is like my first reader-insert please be gentle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-08-30 13:39:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8535313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theninjaoshawott/pseuds/theninjaoshawott
Summary: Reader is a new recruit after the Overwatch recall, having admired them since youth. After a few months of research, they eventually attempted field work and applied to become a field agent to make more of a difference than developing new technology. Reader is male and around 36 years old, close friends with Tracer and Lúcio and greatly admires both Winston and Mercy's technology.





	1. First Simulation

**Author's Note:**

> So anyway, this is my first reader-insert and is extremely slow burn because I don't want it to feel rushed. Anyway, the way the AI simulation works is that if you die, you get teleported and revived in the spawn room. If you sustain heavy amounts of damage, however, these can persist unless attended to rather quickly. So basically, dying is sometimes better than sustaining heavy damage. Since if you die you're instantly healed whereas if you don't the wounds have time to fester and scar.  
> The AI are based on Overwatch villains such as Reaper, Widowmaker and Sombra, with a few "low-level talon agents".  
> Anyway, reader is a scientist who worked closely with Winston and Mercy at some points in the past. It's really self-indulgent and diverges A LOT from the canon. They specialise in biomedicine, so they're a support hero. They get an upgrade from the Mercy Staff and rifle later on.

It was your first day out in the "proper training regime" set up by the recalled Overwatch group. Although you had never been a part of Overwatch, you had been in contact with both Winston and Dr. Ziegler who both trusted you enough to try and recruit you. Ever since you were a child you had idolized Overwatch, it having protected your family from major chaos during the Omnic Crisis, or so you heard that they did. Dr. Ziegler was happy you decided to join the fight against the forces of evil and even gave you a prototype version of her Caduceus Staff, which lacked the empowering function and Winston had even given you a smaller version of his forcefield after seeing you stare in awe at his own. All in all, you were taken care of when it came to weaponry and uniform.

The proper training regime was much more intense than the exercises you had to do to become fit enough to join the group. It was a hard-light simulation of combat and was designed to train you to interact and use the environment to your fullest. It was almost as realistic as field missions, except the fact that after you had "died", you would be taken back to spawn and essentially "revived". You were working with, what you regarded as, veterans who were well versed in combat operations. It was hard not to be nervous, these people had much more experience than you and although you assumed you were in better shape than some, experience trumps fitness in situations such as these. Lúcio had noticed you were particularly nervous, spotting the lollipop you had in your mouth.  
"Hey don't sweat it, big guy, you're gonna do great!" He smiled, giving a gentle dig to your shoulder.  
"Yeah, no worries! AI is generally pretty non-adaptable. Stay behind me and you'll make it through!" D.Va chirped, playing a game on her MEKA.  
"We won't fail love! I'll make sure of it!" Tracer added as she zoomed behind D.Va, inspecting the game she was playing "Whatcha playing?"  
You let out a sigh, louder than you realized and made your way over to Soldier:76 who was making idle chat with Reinhardt. You heard they were old friends from Overwatch, but despite your reverence of the organization, couldn't remember who the soldier was. They finished talking as soon as you reached them, Reinhardt giving a friendly wave before going over to the main body. 

The strategy was for you and Soldier to advance from the left exit, whilst the main body took the main, middle exit of King's Row. You were to disrupt the enemy sniper and take out any opposition on the side paths. Although Soldier was confident he could accomplish that himself, he decided that if you saw him in action, you'd be able to pick up some combat experience. After all, he was the one with the closest weapon to yours, although his was much stronger than your own.  
"Don't worry kid, the AI isn't as dangerous as you'd expect." His gruff voice sounded through his mask. "But trash the goddamn lollipop, it won't help you fight."  
You nodded and instinctually lobbed the lollipop into the nearest trash can, giving a dejected sigh. Before he could say anything, the countdown began. You checked everything was in place, setting down your staff to ensure your rifle was properly strapped onto your back. If it weren't for the sound of the countdown, you could've sworn you heard him laugh under his breath.

The door swung open. He sprinted out, heading towards the left alley as you followed closely behind, or as closely behind as you could. He was pretty damn fast for what appeared to be an old man. After he checked the corner, he waved you forward, his gun cocked and ready to fire at any enemies. Just before you made it around the corner, your heart skipped a beat.  
"Here I am," A voice snickered behind you. Before you could react, Soldier pulled you out of the way, only a few bullets scratching your shoulder. His reflexes were astronomical, he had managed to avoid the main volley of bullets and disarmed the AI, throwing her to the ground before destroying her.  
"T-thanks," You sighed, "I'll heal you up now." You pressed the button on your staff, a beam of healing energy attaching itself to the man. Although Dr. Ziegler talked the prototype down, it was far better than anything you ever could've made.  
"Your reflexes need a bit of working on... Try to keep an eye on things for me."  
"W-will do." _Great. He already thinks you're incompetent._  
ESCORT THE PAYLOAD.  
"Seems like our team's secured the payload. Let's get moving." He began sprinting towards the payload. You followed behind as quickly as you could, trying to keep an eye out for an enemy sniper. Reinhardt stood atop the payload, Lúcio skating around it amping up his healing to regenerate the wounded man. As soon as you were in range, you began to heal him as well.  
"Ah yes! Wish I could feel this great all the time!" Reinhardt let out a hearty laugh, flexing atop the payload. It took only a few moments with your combined efforts to fully heal the man.  
"Hey, Y/N. You should group with Tracer and flank the enemy sniper."  
"Let's get going!" Tracer practically zoomed away, leaving you in her dust as you ran to catch up.

You managed to catch up, Tracer playfully sitting in the flanking alley. Upon seeing you she got up and gave a quick salute.  
"Oi love, that wasn't a half bad time." She winked, "How's Winston's tech?"  
"It seems in decent condition, I haven't used it yet but from what I've seen, anyone with this thing is in safe hands." You gave a little chuckle, pointing to the contraption on your belt. Although Tracer was very headfirst, she was great at helping calm your nerves. Something about her aura made the situation seem less grim and dangerous. The two of you proceeded as quick as you could manage. Just as you were about to reach the flanking destination, you could hear Tracer begin to cough.  
"Venom mine..." She remarked between her rasping breaths. You readied your staff, healing her until the effects subsided. She gave a thumbs up, however, at this point the sniper has made it back to the spot. At the last moment you jerked out of the way, the bullet pierced through your shoulder. You fell to the ground, biting your hand to muffle your scream of pain.  
"Regroup with the others, I'll distract her" Her words were interrupted by her repetitive blinking around. Propping yourself up on the wall, you hugged it closely, ensuring she couldn't get a visual on you.

It took around a minute of retreating to cover to avoid enemies and mad sprints to finally group up with your team. The only one on the payload was soldier, the others deciding to go on ahead to take out any opposition. Soldier cocked his gun on sight, only lowering it when he realized it was you.  
"Ach... Sorry... The sniper got me whilst I was healing Tracer, I just barely avoided a headshot."  
"Get over here and heal up." He planted his biotic field on the ground as you rushed over to it.  
"Ugh... some healer I am. Thanks" You sighed, standing in the field.  
"Don't sweat it, kid, it's your first training session. There's still time for improvement. Make it count."  
You couldn't help but smile, even after he saw you almost die he still has faith in you. Honestly, at this point, even you'd kick yourself off the team. Tracer had managed to make her way back to the payload, grinning happily.  
"Nice work love! The AI was too busy trying to take you out that I managed to give her a time out." She gave a wink before zooming in front of the payload. "Where's the rest of the gang?"  
"They went on ahead, Lúcio wanted to practice movement tactics whilst engaged in skirmishes." Soldier replied, surveying for any would-be flankers. You equipped your rifle, strapping your staff onto your back, surveying the area as well. Tracer began to blink around, signaling that Lúcio's group was returning. Letting out a sigh of relief, you went into a nearby building to get a grasp on where the health packs were.  
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"  
The sound of the AI's voice boomed throughout the alley and room. You quickly check your team's status, Reinhardt was taking out, D.Va is out of her mech and Lúcio's health was critical.  
"Apagando las luces"  
You dash out to see Tracer, Soldier and Lúcio hacked, the latter being unable to begin healing the group from the AI's onslaught. As quick as you can, you sprint towards Lúcio, slapping the barrier projector onto him. Instinctively, you begin shooting at the AI, your team's combined efforts making quick work of her. Rifle dropped to the ground, you grabbed your staff and began healing Lúcio.  
"You're a lifesaver, Y/N." Lúcio smiled, "Told ya you'd do great things!"  
"Trying to impress me?" Soldier chuckled, resting his rifle on his shoulder. You quickly go to pick up your rifle, your face beet red from his words.  
"Good job love." Tracer smiled sincerely, giving a quick salute.  
"I'll go get Reinhardt," Lúcio laughed, skating off towards spawn. Your moment of glory soon fades as you realize D.Va has been out of her mech this whole time. You pull out your communicator,  
_Y/N: How are you holding up? Need me to come heal you?  
D.Va: i'm on my way  >:3 _

The group had decided you and Soldier should flank this time to take out the sniper so Tracer and D.Va could advance and disrupt the main body of the opposition. You followed closely behind the man, your staff ready to heal at a moment's notice. The flanking route was dangerous to take, chances were that encountering at least one enemy would be more likely than not. Luckily, the enemy was a lower-ranking AI, with very little offensive capabilities compared to the rest. Infiltration was easier than expected, much too easy for you to be comfortable with. Soldier was dealing with some low-level AI, shooting them from range to take them out, you looked around for any other enemies. You spotted a glint of red, in an instant you wrapped your arms around soldier's neck, your rifle in front of his head as you pulled him back into cover. A bullet struck the center of your rifle, bouncing off it. After a moment in cover, you almost forgot to unwrap your arms around him  
"Thanks. That would've been a spot-on headshot judging from your rifle." He sighed in relief, looking around. "Our infiltration has been compromised, you should try to distract the sniper and I'll take her out, then we regroup."  
You nodded, surveying the area before running out into the open, shooting at the sniper. Even at the best of times, stationary, your aim would never manage to hit more than a few shots on her. Your bullets danced around her, she didn't even bother moving, she lined up her scope. Awaiting the right moment. The sound of Soldier's onslaught of bullets was drowned out by the ringing in your ears from the shot that pierced through your leg. You fell to the ground, the pain too much to bear, biting into your thumb yet again to drown out your cries of agony.  
"Kid you alright?" The concern in his voice was immediately apparent as he sprinted across to you, kneeling down to inspect the wound.  
"I can't lay down my biotic field here, we'll have to move to cover."  
"I-I c-can't..." You whimpered, barely able to push yourself up. Soldier picked up your rifle and strapped it onto your back then slowly and gently wrapped his arms around your body, turning your body in the process. He let out a huff as he raised you up from the ground and walked in the direction of the payload. Slipping into a room for cover, he lay you down as gently as he could onto the ground before deploying his biotic field.  
"S-sorry," You managed to groan out as the wound slowly began to fade. He didn't say a word, merely stared at the entrance. _Guess you couldn't impress him that time._

It didn't take too long before your wounds were completely healed, you got up, pressing the area you were shot. The wonders of modern medicine nowadays never ceased to amaze you. You gripped your staff, giving a nod of approval to Soldier you were ready to proceed. It had been embarrassing that the man had to heal you twice, but having to carry you had to be by far the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you in your entire life. He must have seen how red your face had been, it was practically the same colour as your trouser leg. Your infiltration mission began again, this time soldier seemed to be more methodical, only taking out enemies when necessary. By this point, D.Va and Tracer had begun disrupting the main body of the opposition, harassing them with hit-and-run tactics. It wasn't long before the payload caught up. The last minute of the match seemed to go by like a blur, a frenzy of ultimate moves utterly swamping the trickling trail of enemies coming from spawn.

Tracer told you it wasn't uncommon to not receive your results until a few days after the first training simulation, but you still couldn't help but feel uneasy. Everyone regarded you in high esteem, even Reinhardt who hardly ever saw you seemed to think very well for a first mission. You hadn't spoken to Soldier since you'd gotten shot in the leg. D.Va told you not to worry about it, that he'd never been much for talking to begin with, and was only doing so at first to be polite, or so she said. Despite your best efforts, you couldn't help but stress over it, had he said you weren't competent enough? His word would probably matter more than everyone else's, considering he was the one with you the majority of the time. Not to mention he had seen you mostly in vulnerable positions. _God, he must've said you were hopeless._

It wasn't until lunch on the third day that Tracer approached you.  
"Oi, y/n!" She blinked, appearing on the seat beside you "Everything alright?"  
"Yeah. I guess." Your reply had to be the most unconvincing answer she'd ever received. It didn't help you were messing around with your food.  
"Look, love, I know that's not true. What's up?" Her voice was rife in concern to the point you felt like crying for just making her worry to that degree.  
"I-It's just..." You sighed, "Everyone has been super nice since the mission, but Soldier:76 hasn't spoken to me once... A-Am I just a liability in his eyes?"  
"Aw... You shouldn't worry what that old man thinks." She giggled, placing her hand on your shoulder. "Plus, I think he quite likes you."  
With all your effort, you managed to muster up a half-sincere looking smile, rubbing the back of your neck.  
"Last time I saw 'im, he said you were surprisingly good for a rookie." She gave a sly wink, sticking out her tongue. You chuckled in response before getting back to your food. From the corner of your eye, you could see her grin. _Shit. She must've seen you blush._  
"That's really reassuring to hear... Thanks, Lena." You tried your hardest to emphasize the sincerity in your thanks. She really did always make things better.  
"Well, catch ya later love. Oh, but I'd recommend you pop in to see Dad:76," Before you could even lift a finger, she disappeared. _Guess I should talk to him..._


	2. Bagel and Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader goes for a little chat with Soldier then soon realises something. Soldier hadn't been avoiding him for the reasons he suspected. He soon attempts to patch things up with him with a little advice from Tracer and Ana.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got like 2 kudos on the first fic and it's been up for like 7 hours. TIME TO UPLOAD A BIT MORE OF WHAT I'VE WRITTEN. There's around 3 more chapters worth in reserves, so even if I can't work on it throughout the week, I'll be able to upload what I've already written.

Checking your communicator for the 4th time, you looked at the map of the base, just to make sure it was his room. Even before your mission, you hadn't felt quite as nervous as you did at this moment. Leaving out a heavy sigh, you knocked on the door. _Shit, what do I say. I can't ju-_ The door opened, Soldier had his mask off, his scarred face exposed. Despite the multiple wounds across his face, he was without a doubt handsome. It didn't help that his cheekbones could cut glass and that his particularly tight shirt showed off his body in the perfect way. _God did I really just think that._  
"H-hey. Is everything alright? We haven't spoken in a while..." You managed to sputter out.  
"Yeah."  
"O-Oh a-alright then." Your voice cracked mid-sentence, something you didn't think, at your age, you were capable of. You stood awkwardly, racking your brain for conversation topics. _Great job idiot. You manage to muster up the courage to speak to him then flounder as soon as you get the answer you wanted._  
"Is everything alright with you, kid?" His brows furrowed as he squinted at you. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Do you want to talk about your training simulation."  
"Y-yes sir."  
He chuckled,"Guessed as much" He stood aside, allowing you to enter his room. "Alright then, come in."  
Your heart skipped a beat as you entered. The room was unsurprisingly immaculate, all regulation uniforms neatly hung up alongside, every item perfectly stacked and neatly presented. He gestured towards his couch for you to sit on, taking a seat himself.  
"So, your training simulation... What was the problem?"  
"O-oh I didn't have any particular problem with it... I just wanted to see how you felt I did... You didn't say much..." You murmured, barely audible "I j-just wanted to hear your evaluation of my performance, due to the fact you had been with me the most..."  
"I think you did pretty damn well, kid." He reached over, giving you a pat on the shoulder. "Do you think your performance wasn't adequate?" _He must've seen your surprise._  
"W-well I did mess up quite a bit..." You sheepishly replied, avoiding eye contact as you rubbed the back of your neck. "Plus, I did almost get taken out... If it weren't for you..."  
There was an audible gasp from the man. He looked away before looking back.  
"I'm sorry kid... I completely forgot about that..." He took a deep breath before swallowing. "You weren't the one at fault there." His eyes began to visibly tear up. "It was mine."  
"I-I was the one who got shot." You protested, but he raised his hand to dismiss it.  
"I should've taken the sniper out before she even got the shot off. I waited too long..."  
"Y-Yeah but even if it was your fault... You shouldn't be upset, you did take her out"  
"No, you don't get it. If that were a real mission, y-you could've died. Not because of fault of your own, but because of my risky tactic."  
You had never quite expected this reaction out of him. The strain in his voice tore your heart to shreds.  
"I almost let you die after you saved my life. If anything, I was careless. Don't worry about it kid." You both stood up and he gave you a pat on the shoulder.  
"S-sorry if I bothered you, sir..." Your heart ached when you saw him tear up, you couldn't help but wish you didn't even bother him.  
"It's no bother kid. If you ever want advice, you know where to come."  
"Thanks. Will do." 

On one hand, you didn't feel as bad about your performance, but on the other, you regretted upsetting him so much. You didn't quite think that everything that happened could very well kill you in a real setting. He must've been on high alert when he saw you fall to the ground in pain and whimper. The worst part was he was probably hung up on the fact that he also ended up getting you hurt severely in the process. Your communicator buzzed  
_Tracer: hey y/n did you speak to Dad:76?_  
_y/n: Yeah. He cleared some things up. I'm glad to hear everyone thinks I did pretty well!_  
_y/n: I feel a bit less apprehensive about my results now._  
_Tracer: he seemed pretty upset after you left his room_  
_Tracer: I went to go see what him to see if you'd spoken to him_  
_Tracer: he feels pretty guilty about letting you take that sniper shot to the leg._  
_y/n: Oh._  
_y/n: How do I stop him being so hung up on it?_  
_Tracer: usually if he's down, I see Ana bring him a coffee and bagel._  
_y/n: What does he take in his coffee?_  
_Tracer: milk. he says no sugar, but Ana says he prefers it with one teaspoon ; )_   
In the cafeteria, you could see Tracer inconspicuously gossiping to Ana. You made your way over to buy a bagel and coffee, putting in a teaspoon of sugar. Tracer was giggling alongside Ana who was grinning at you the entire time. _Why are they smiling?_

Fortunately, Soldier was already standing outside by the time you arrived. He was talking to Ana. _God, how did that old lady manage to get from the cafeteria to here so quickly. She hadn't left whilst you were there, and you weren't exactly the slowest walker._ She spotted you giving a little wave before ending her conversation with Soldier. He folded his arms looking directly at you  
"Did Ana put you up to this?"  
"N-no, I just saw you were upset and decided to find out what would cheer you up."  
"Look, kid. I appreciate the sentiment, but haven't you got more important things to be doing that getting an old man a bagel and coffee?"  
"S-sorry... I just didn't want you to be upset over the training simulation."  
He sighed, "I'm fine, no need to worry." He placed a firm hand on your shoulder, "I just don't like it when my comrades get hurt because of me."  
"I don't either, sir. That's why I'm here." He chuckled at your reply, taking the bagel and coffee.  
"Alright then kid. If I take these, are we even then?" You merely nodded in response. "Well thanks then, y/n" You'd not seen him without his mask on much before this, but at that moment you wondered why he'd hide his face. His smile basically lit up the hallway. You did your best to conceal the blush you had and quickly said your farewells, heading towards your room. _Dammit...You can't develop feelings for him. It'd be unprofessional, plus he was far older than you. Although you didn't mind the fact, you're certain he would, considering he calls you kid every goddamn other sentence._  
_Tracer: heya! how'd it go? : )  
Oh god, she knows..._


	3. Shower Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having a shower, reader just lays around with his towel on and gets an unexpected visit from Soldier and Tracer. Nothing dodgy happens but the reader embarrasses himself. Also Tracer totally has snapchat on her communicator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got 100 hits and im ready to die. i also got 10 kudos. im crying. #blessed

_Tracer: heya! how'd it go? : )_ _Oh god, she knows..._ _y/n: It went pretty good! He seemed pretty happy after I gave him the bagel._  
_Tracer: that's good. oh! special delivery. I'll pop round in a minute. ; p_  
A minute was an overstatement, she'd practically gotten to your room less than seconds after sending the message.  
She held an envelope in her hand, "It's your results, love." She held it out towards you, "Go on." You took it from her, nervously smiling. Moment of truth. You pulled out the contents out at an agonizingly slow pace. **PASS.** Large green ink took up most of the page, leaving little space for the evaluative comments made by everyone. As expected, Tracer, Lúcio, and D.Va held you in high regards. Reinhardt admitted he hadn't seen much but had heard you done well. Soldier's comment was by far the longest, praising your protective instincts and quick adapting to, and spotting, enemy fire. You earned a silver medal alongside a few bronzes in the obvious categories. 

With results like those, you could continue practicing with these missions and could even be sent on low-ranked missions. Tracer was ecstatic, she patted you on the back and practically danced around.  
"Oh! We're doing a training simulation based on some place in Nepal in a few days. Winston told me you're also included. It's a bit more difficult than the last, but that shouldn't be much of a problem."  
"A-alrighty then. Guess I better start training for it!" You gave a quick salute before jogging off to the shooting range.

Sprinting around the range, you tried to practice your mid-sprint shooting. You'd never quite gotten the hang of it, but you'd be damned if you didn't try to improve what little skill you had. Your rifle's power came from long-range spray and attrition as opposed to precision and impact. It was a matter of softening up any enemies so the likes of Soldier could take them out quickly. After around an hour of running and shooting, you reached a point where you landed at very least 60% of your shots on a semi-mobile target, which was miraculous, to say the least. Hunched over, catching your breath, you looked around at the training bots. You'd not taken a single one out, but they all had about 60% health. _I can settle for that_. Tracer blinked beside you, crouching down to meet eye level  
"Oi love, is that it? Come on, 6 laps around the range."  
"Aw come on."  
"This is no time for standing around!" She gave a cheeky wink, giggling as she pushed you to get moving. "You're taller, it'll take less effort for you to do a lap."

By the end of the 6 laps, your legs were aching and you could hardly breathe. You had to hand it to Tracer, she could do that many times faster and not even lose her breath once. Although your time was below-par, Tracer still acted impressed, giving you a slap on the ass before blinking off. You chuckled, picking up your stuff at the entrance and heading back to your room to have a shower. It had to have been the longest shower you'd taken in your life and the aching in your legs was only marginally better. It wasn't often that you just walked around in your towel, since you'd always been pretty body conscious as a child and didn't trust the damn thing to stay on. But it was nice to just sit on your couch with your music playing off your communicator and one of those foreign cartoons with subtitles on your HoloTV.  
Knock knock.  
You scrambled, pausing the HoloTV and shoving a headphone jack into your communicator to quickly silence it. You made your way to the door, slipping on a zip hoodie to retain even a bit more modesty than just the towel wrapped around your waist. Opening the door, you saw it was Soldier. _Oh, it had to be him. _  
"Oh h-hey?"  
"Have I came at a bad time?" You could see him glance at your hoodie and furrow his brow. Your face grew redder by the second.  
"I-it's fine. What's this about?"  
"Just came to tell you who was going to be on the Nepal training simulation with you." He pulled out a slip of paper from his jacket pocket, handing it over to you. "What's with the hoodie?"  
"'Suppose it's a bit more modest and appropriate, sir."  
You could see him smirk and chuckle, "Alright kid, whatever you say. Take it easy." You gave a little salute as he walked off, shutting the door as soon as he left your field of vision. _Goddammit. Smooth moves y/n._

After your encounter with Soldier, you decided that getting dressed as soon as you got out of the shower was necessary. You slipped on a pair of shorts and a short-sleeved hoodie shirt, falling back onto the couch and resuming your show. Your communicator buzzed, a "Snapchat" sent from Tracer appeared in the notifications. Opening the file you could feel your face turn beet red. It was a picture of you standing at your door, in the towel and hoodie talking to Soldier. She added a flattering filter but added text saying "lmao. rip y/n". How did she even snap a photo? Were you that embarrassed you didn't notice her walking by? A message popped up.  
_Tracer: don't worry, I just sent that to you._  
_y/n: How did you even manage to take a photo?_  
_Tracer: I was behind Dad:76 the entire time, you just couldn't see past him. ; p_  
_y/n: Oh god, what did he say after he left?_  
_Tracer: he couldn't stop laughing at the hoodie. I mean, pastel pink hoodie and just a towel on._  
_Oh god, you slipped on the hoodie your friend bought you as a joke._  
_Although you hated to admit it, it was cozy and you actually loved the colour._  
_You'd just taken it to remind you of home and forgot that you left it hanging up._  
_y/n: Tell no one of what you saw.  
_Tracer: Trust Dad:76 and I to keep it a secret love.__

It didn't take long before you took your mind off your embarrassment, instead focusing your attention on the slip of paper you had. Apparently, Soldier, Tracer, and Reinhardt were joining you again in the training simulation. The other two, you had briefly encountered, Ana and Mei. Mei seemed sweet despite her grim past and Ana, well, she was basically the "Team Grandma". The woman had flawless precision in everything she did but always retained a sweet and caring demeanour regardless of the situation. Although, you were beginning to doubt that after you saw her gossiping with Tracer in the cafeteria.


	4. Ça pique, n'est-ce pas?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader goes on their Nepal mission and finds themself unable to concentrate on their mission and instead chastises themself for being so useless. An encounter with an enemy takes a turn for the worse, leaving the reader with scars that won't fade that easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is "That stings doesn't it" or "That stings, right?"  
> ANYWAY. SOMEONE BOOKMARKED THIS FIC AND IM SO HAPPY!!! BLESS THAT PERSON!! I WAS GONNA UPLOAD THIS CHAPTER LIKE TOMORROW OR SUNDAY, BUT I'M DOING IT TONIGHT BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS GREAT!! They know who they are ;3c

A sharp exhale escaped you as you stood in the spawn room, looking around at your teammates. You basically had two founding members of Overwatch and three others who had far more experience than you could ever hope for. Ana was sitting down on one of the seats, her mask on the table, taking sips from a cup of tea she'd just made.  
"I feel a lot better having you watch my back." _It stung. He didn't even realise._  
"We all need someone we can trust, Jack" _Was that his name? Jack?_  
They conversed for a while as you bounced between Tracer and Mei for conversation. Mei seemed very sweet and friendly, talking about how well she heard you'd done on your first training mission. The countdown sounded.  
"Stick to the plan, and if you get in trouble, I'll bail you out."

Although you were hurt over Soldier... Jack's? comment, you couldn't help but agree. Having Ana watch your back was both an honour and a blessing. You'd hoped that one day you may be able to be as skilled and competent as Ana, but part of you knew that day would never come. Even in her old age she could hand your ass to you without much effort. You slapped both of your cheeks, focusing your attention on the training simulation.

The plan was for you, Mei and Tracer to go on ahead and disrupt the AI whilst Reinhardt and Soldier secured the point. Ana would find some cover that gave her clear shots to teammates and the AI. It felt better knowing that Mei too, was lagging behind Tracer. It wasn't long before the sniper took position, bullets narrowly missing you and Mei. The AI's biggest mistake was compromising her position. In less than seconds, Ana took her out before returning her attention to your other teammates.

Tracer had managed to kill off a few of the AI, dancing around them with her blinks and dealing ridiculous amounts of damage to them whilst Mei froze them. You never really had much of a chance to do healing, Ana had practically always healed them whenever they so much as got a scratch, you could hardly heal more than a few minor wounds. You were powerless. They could handle this session without you. Hell, they basically were. You sighed, looking over at Soldier and Reinhardt, who were dealing with some stragglers that managed to make it past Tracer. 

Your attention failed you, wandering off every other minute as everyone else did the work. A sick feeling filled your stomach. Although it was nice to have reliable teammates, you seemed to be anything but. Useless. A waste of a place on the team. Inattentive. Your communicator buzzed,  
_Ana: The sniper is positioned to the right of you. Try and take her out._  
_Ana: Standing around won't help you improve. I'll cover you, don't worry._  
_That stung._  
_You knew she meant well, she could see you were bored._  
_But having her say it to you directly nearly drove you to tears._  
_y/n: Alright. I'll do my best!_  
_Ana: Stay safe out there, don't be careless._  
You tried your best to put on a perky front, smiling over to Ana as you went over to the right, laying low so the sniper couldn't get a visual. Suddenly, your breath escaped you. You clutched your chest, unable to breathe as you wheezed and gasped for breath. You stumbled forward, a shot directly piercing into your side. Your vision blurred, stumbling back and forward before blacking out.

"Dammit will he be alright?!"  
"I couldn't get to him quick enough, the wounds will scar..."  
"Oi, he's comin' to."  
Your eyes opened slowly, fuzzy vision slowly sharpening. You looked around, everyone was huddled around you, you went to speak, but couldn't find your voice.  
"How're you feeling love?"  
"He's seen better days, that's for sure."  
You blinked. Finally ascertaining your surroundings. You were all still in the simulation room. It seems they took you inside, Soldier having put his jacket on top of you so you wouldn't freeze.  
"I-I....m so...rry..." Is all that you could manage.

It didn't take long before everyone on that team had begun visiting your room frequently. Although Ana had taken out the sniper before she managed to kill you, it meant that your wounds were left unattended to until Ana had finally managed to reach your position. A large scar in place of the bullet wound and being unable to speak for more than a few minutes at a time was a grim reminder of your failure. You'd never quite seen everyone so upset over you. Every other minute you got a text from somebody asking if you needed anything, mainly Tracer or Lúcio, but you couldn't bring yourself to reply. You felt like nothing but a nuisance to the team.

The shot at your side stung, but only when you moved for too long. Dr Ziegler herself had said that it'd take a few weeks before your voice and body would recover, but you weren't entirely sure how much more you could bear. The sound of knocking at your door drew you from your thoughts. You made your way to the door, opening it agonisingly slow.  
"Hey kid, how are you holding up?" It was Soldier.  
"Y-yeah... I'm fine. Dr Ziegler said I... should make a full recovery in a week or so..."  
"About your training simulation... I... Well I think that" He sighed, "maybe you should..."  
Your heart sank. "O-Oh... ok then..."  
"I'm sorry."  
With all your effort, you mustered a smile. "I-It's fine... I wasn't cut out for fighting anyway."


	5. At Ease, Soldier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader laments over stopping his training regime, getting pretty angsty over his situation. Everyone attempted to comfort him, but to no avail. Finally, Soldier comes back, making his intentions slightly clearer. Very short!! (To make up for it, I'm uploading a huge chapter tomorrow, but then we'll be caught up to my reserves)

It had been a few months since you quit training. Not for the sake of everyone else, but for the sake of yourself. Or so you told yourself. You'd taken up your research position again, developing new tech, fixing tech, updating old tech, whatever was required of you. There were several occasions where you just wanted to give up. To leave and just go live a normal life. To go sightseeing, explore other cultures, find yourself, find love. But Overwatch was your family, and your heart ached at the thought of leaving it all. All your closest friends were here, and you weren't ready to leave them behind.

The change of pace from combat to research wasn't one you'd taken easily. You found fun in it, but you didn't feel like you were making a difference no matter how much tech you developed or fixed. Long hours meant you hardly had any time to hang around with Tracer or Lúcio, or Soldier. You found yourself growing helplessly distant from them , unable to laugh or joke the way you did before. What happened to you could very well happen to them, but much worse. They wouldn't always have Ana covering their backs and if you die on a real mission. Well you're dead. Not like respawning in a simulation room.

On a few occasions, Tracer tried to convince you to try training again, now that you've recovered. But after having Soldier of all people come to you and ask you to go back to research, you didn't you'd be able to show your face in the training room again. Even Dr. Ziegler, noticing your melancholy, would suggest you develop new tech for yourself. It hadn't been until Soldier came for a second visit that you'd began to think of it.  
"Kid, how's the research going?"  
"I-It's alright I suppose, I've made a couple of prototypes and such..."  
"Have you made anything for yourself yet?"  
_What's the point!?_  
"It's better focusing on those who can fight."  
"I don't mean for fighting... I mean for protection. Your job isn't as dangerous, but people will still be after your head."  
"...I'll think about it."

Your research basically consumed you at this point. Finding a suitable selection of gear to protect yourself was no easy matter. Your aim wasn't that great and you didn't like violence in the first place. Many things had rubbed off on you with your time spent researching with Dr. Ziegler. Her patience, her wisdom but most of all, her staunch belief in pacifism. Needless violence was the root of all conflict. You didn't want to succumb to it, your kit had to allow you to protect yourself, not harm others. It hadn't been until Winston began helping you that you actually made progress. He came up with the idea of a cannon, much like his own, that focused more on incapacitating enemies and stunning them, doing very little physiological harm. Alongside both him and Mercy, you had developed a kit that would allow you to even take on combat missions.

All you needed at this point was the approval of everyone on your last mission to resume training. Of course, everyone had been understanding. Even Ana had agreed to allow you to resume simulations despite what had to have been the worst performance you'd ever given. The only person who remained was Soldier. You took a deep breath, standing outside his room.  
Knock knock.  
"Oh, kid. Is your gear ready yet?"  
"T-that's why I'm here." You cleared your throat, standing as firm as you could. "I want to resume training."  
"Oh..." He paused for a minute, scratched his chin, then chuckled. "Alright then."  
_Was he...hesitant there?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader has new gear that isn't a ripoff of Mercy and Winston now! Ok, so I'll describe the things (they're based on my OC's equipment)  
> Nanobiotic clip: A nanobiotic clip that attaches on to the skin, piercing it to inject nanobiotic fluid over a set period of time. This heals slightly over a third of what Zenyatta's Harmony orb heals BUT, Reader has 3 of them that can be shared out. Reader can recall them at will just like the forcefield clip.  
> Forcefield clip: A clip that activates a forcefield on reader's command, usually a verbal trigger.  
> Stun Gun: A cannon, very similar to Winstons, that shoots out a beam that after a second, stuns the enemy, allowing reader to escape. Does minuscule damage and is only really used to get away from fights or to assist.


	6. Numbani Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader goes on their Numbani training simulation with some new gear to try out. They put on a brave face around the others, but Ana soon learns the truth of what's eating them up.

The training mission was based in Numbani, escorting a payload much like the King's Row mission. It would also be considerably easier, to help you "get back into the swing of things". The team was the same as last time, except this time, you weren't just some bootleg, knock-off Dr. Ziegler. The new technology you developed, although nowhere near as potent as Dr. Ziegler's, it could be attached to allies and heal them whilst you did whatever you wanted, essentially. They were little clips that clung to the skin of your allies and painlessly injecting serum over an extended period of time to heal their wounds. Your barrier projector was essentially the same, only receiving a minor makeover to match your outfit and other clips.

Soldier seemed rather apprehensive, glancing over to you occasionally before forcing his gaze elsewhere.  
"Well little man, best of luck on this mission! If you need help, I shall be your shield!" Reinhardt laughed heartily, slapping you on the back before going to stand at the entrance of the spawn. He was always so excitable, it was honestly adorable how he acted, not caring what others thought. The countdown sounded, you handed out your clips, giving one to Ana, Tracer and Mei, giving a quick explanation of how they worked and how to put them on.

_This time, you weren't going to fail. This time you'd show them what you were truly made of._

The plan was initially for you and Tracer to pester the front-most defending AI, then continue on to harass the AI on the point. Soldier had other plans in mind. He made sure of it that you stuck with the main body of the group and he would pair up with Tracer. Despite your best efforts, you only managed to convince him to allow you, him and Tracer to harass the AI. It wouldn't take long for the three of you to take down enemies, you wouldn't even really need to stun them, considering both Tracer and Soldier could take them out relatively quickly.

Much to your surprise, there were no AI enemies actually present at the front. It was strange, but you couldn't diverge from the plan. You all continued on towards the point, trying your best to keep up with them. You'd taken a path through a building, Tracer scouting ahead to check for any traps and enemies.  
"Alright loves, no mines ahead and the enemies haven't fortified this area. Should be a good flanking route." She chirped, blinking on ahead as both you and Soldier ran through the building. A shot pierced through the entrance, narrowly missing Tracer.  
"Sniper, keep your heads down." Soldier stated into his communicator. He ran to the entrance, rolling out before firing a helix rocket in the direction of the sniper. As quick as you could, you followed him, jumping in attempts to be evasive. You both took the stairway to flank the sniper, Tracer harassing and distracting the rest of the AI. A red flash caught your attention. You froze, breath catching in your throat. It took a moment before you could shake yourself back to awareness.  
"V-Venom mine on the corner floor."  
"Got it." He lifted his rifle as he sprinted, destroying it. It didn't take long before the sniper realized her mine had been destroyed, quickly snapping her sight to you both. Soldier began firing, forcing her to retreat further to gain leverage.  
You called into your communicator, "My ultimate is almost ready."  
"You should've kept your head down." Soldier chuckled as he finished the sniper off. You leapt off the perch, joining your teammates on the point.  
"Capturing the objective." Tracer stated, blinking around the point.  
PAYLOAD SECURED.

Tracer blinked on ahead, followed by both Mei and Soldier. Ana was perched atop the payload alongside Reinhardt, scanning the area for any hostiles.  
"Ahh my friend! Much better performance today!" Reinhardt laughed, slapping you on the back, almost knocking you over.  
"Th-thanks," You tried your best to not seem winded, "O-Oh! Ana, this is a barrier clip. It will activate a bubble that will protect you on my command." You held out a small hexagonal device, much similar in shape to your healing clips.  
"Thank you," She smiled, clipping it to her jacket.  
"I'll go on ahead, they may need some healing." You sprinted, trying to catch up with them.

Skidding across the tarmac, you managed to catch up, quickly assessing the situation. Soldier and Mei were attacking from range with Tracer nowhere in sight. Soldier and Mei had sustained very little damage, only a few scratches here and there. You tapped your headpiece, a small visor appearing in front of your eye, scanning to find Tracer. She was in critical condition. You sprinted to her location, tapping your communicator.  
Recalling nanoclip.  
A small clip materialized in your hand, as you dashed towards Tracer's location. She was facing off against the sniper. You froze, your legs shaking.  
"Love, get out of here!" Tracer called out, blinking back to your position, grabbing you by the arm and trailing you away.  
"Et voilà." The shot scraped by your neck, the ringing in your ear slowly growing to be unbearable. You stumbled backwards, reaching to touch your neck. Your hand was covered in blood. You weren't even aware you were being dragged along with Tracer back to the group.  
"Oi, y/n, everything alright?" She shook you, your senses coming back to you.  
"Y-Yeah, sorry." You replied, looking around to find where you were.  
"Hold still, I'll heal you," Ana raised her rifle, firing her biotic dart. You flinched, raising your arm to cover your face as you let out a small squeal.  
"Are you sure you're alright love?" Tracer tilted her head, putting her hand on your shoulder.  
"He'll be fine, you go on ahead and scout for enemies." Ana assured her, walking towards you.  
"Aye aye!" She gave a quick salute before disappearing in an instant.  
"Your scars haven't faded have they?"  
"T-They have, Dr Ziegler treated me..."  
"Not those scars." She reached to her forehead, gently tapping it. "These ones."  
You bit your lip, trying your best to avoid eye contact. _Was I really that transparent?_   
"We'll talk later. I'll take care of the sniper from now on."

The payload was approaching its destination. Everyone was on high alert. Tracer and Mei were dealing with enemies trickling in from spawn whilst Ana and Reinhardt stood atop the payload. You and Soldier focused on the other spawn exit, stunning enemies and finishing them off. You heard the click of a scope, a shot fired, inches away from your shoulder. In every other instance, you would've froze, but you felt your blood pump faster than ever. You threw yourself to Soldier, knocking him out of the sniper's line of sight just as she fired. The shot traced along your cheek. It stung like hell. Within seconds the sniper fell to the ground.  
"I've got your back," Ana called over the communicator.  
"y/n, you alright?!"  
"I-I'm fine, it just scraped my cheek..."  
_VICTORY_

"Great work out there y/n." Ana smiled softly before leaning in and whispering, "Remember, you can talk to me anytime." She patted your shoulder before moving on to the rest of the group. Everyone was delighted with how the mission went. Nobody had been eliminated and the payload made it to the destination with little hassle. The only person who had seemed anything less than elated was Soldier. _Did he think my performance was unsatisfactory? Did I mess up? Is he mad I knocked into him? Thoughts swarmed into your head. You sighed, deciding to call it a night and head back to your room._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone commented on this fic. bless them. they know who they are. IT GETS REAL SAUCY SOON.... part of me is tempted to upload the rest of what i have... no self-restraint whatsoever. (also by saucy i mean like they kiss. don't worry guys this isn't gonna be nsfw. mainly bc i cant write that and don't plan on it.)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SAUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.  
> (not nsfw i promise)

It wasn't often you'd binge-watch shows, your research made it certain you hadn't much time to do that. But now you had a lot more down time between training and the minor missions they'd send you on. It always made you feel a bit more at home when you watched random cartoons you'd seen online.  
Knock knock.  
You got up from your sofa, resting your headphones around your neck as you opened the door. It was Soldier.  
"Hey, how is your cheek?"  
_Oh, he was worried about it..._  
"It's fine, just a little scrape I guess," You chuckled, turning your head so he could see the small cut.  
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been so careless."  
"Wha-... d-don't worry about it. Honest."  
He reached out, gently touching the cut, "A fraction later and you would've been taken out..."  
"Wh-"  
"Promise me you won't do that on a real mission," His eyes began to tear up as he gently caressed your face.  
"I-I..."  
"Please." He said it with such gentleness and desperation you could hardly choke out a reply.  
"I-I promise."  
"I couldn't bare to lose you by my own carelessness." He drew you into a tight hug before whispering, "I-I love you too much, I just can't lose you." A wave of emotions overcame you. Relief. Happiness. Sadness. Confusion. But none were greater than the warmth pulsing in your chest or the pounding of your heart.  
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't think... I didn't know you felt this way about me..." He pulled away from the hug before looking at you and rubbing the back of his head.  
"I better get going... I'm sorry, that was unprofessional of me."  
"N-no it's fine..." You looked away before looking back and chuckling, caressing his face, "G-guess we're both unprofessional then."

It had been a few days since your heart-to-heart with Soldier, your feelings flooding out in a torrent as you spoke about your failure in Nepal. Although it was allowed to have relationships within Overwatch, or so you heard, you had both decided to leave it be for a while and not allow it to interfere with missions or training. Practically everyone knew you had fallen too hard for him, even Dr Ziegler who had never taken much interest in gossip had asked you about it. But no-one knew that he had fallen for you. Even you hadn't known. Part of you wished you'd hadn't fallen for him so quick, but matters of the heart weren't so easily understood. You hardly even knew his name and you couldn't get over him and now, now you'd learned he fell for you as well.

A cup of coffee and some sweet treats had always calmed your nerves, and it seemed that Ana had picked up on that. You'd began coming to her to talk about your feelings and worries since the end of the Numbani training simulation. It was nice. She would always have the kettle boiled and some pastry she'd picked up from the cafeteria awaiting you when you came. You'd talk about your anxiety when you saw sniper rifles, or heard a shot or even felt watched. As the best sniper in the world, she would assure you that she'd allow noone to harm you. You were part of her family now, and her family was off-limits to enemies. But she soon picked up on the other things bothering you. _Inadequacy. Incompetence. Carelessness. Love._

"Dear, there's more bothering you than snipers. What's bothering you?" She reached out, touching your hand as she looked directly to your eyes. A sign that breaking eye contact would only certify her suspicions.  
"N-nothing. I'm just worried about snipers is all." You managed to sputter out, only worsening your resolve.  
"Old soldiers are hard to trick." She affirmed, drawing her hand back, taking a sip from her cup. "I know what's going on between you and Jack."  
"I-it's nothing like that... I mean... we haven't even kissed yet."  
"I'm not particularly fond of the relationship, I'll allow you that much. But I will support it. What is bothering you?"  
"E-exactly that..." You conceded, averting your gaze to the cup of coffee in your hands, "I'm too young for him, th-that's the real reason we're not dating."  
"Y/n," She gently said, "You may follow your heart, but please think first."  
"Ok..."

It had been a few days since your talk with Ana. You hadn't confronted Soldier about what exactly you were, not due to the time, but due to the fact you weren't emotionally ready to. But you couldn't hold out any longer, you had to have an answer.  
"We...need to talk." You sighed, stood outside his door, trying to avoid his gaze.  
"Alright. Come on in."  
You took a seat on his couch, watching as he turned on the kettle, the clattering of mugs from cupboards filling the room.  
"I know what this is about..." He said, pulling out a jar of coffee, scooping a lump into a mug before turning around to look at you. "Ana told me." He walked over to you, placing a pastry on the coffee table in front of you before returning to the kettle.  
"I just... don't know what to do. I-I mean, what are we?"  
He remained silent, pouring the boiling water into the mug before placing it on the table in front of you, packets of sugar and a teaspoon carefully placed beside it. You took the mug in your hands, wrapping your fingers around it.  
"I've thought about it a-and..." Your words caught in your throat, "I don't care what everyone else thinks. I may be young a-and foolish and I may come to regret it..." Your heart began to beat faster, "But am I not allowed to have fun? To fall in love? In my heart, I know this is what I want. I've thought it over long enough and if I come to regret it..." You took a sharp breath, "So be it. It's my mistake to make."  
He remained silent. _Smooth moves y/n!_   
You sighed, taking a sip of coffee before placing the mug on the table. You stood up,  
"I-I'm sorry did I speak out of turn there?" There was still no response. You turned towards the door, taking a step before he gently grabbed your wrist, pulling you towards him. Your heart pounded through your chest, your knees almost giving in as heat flushed through your body. He let go, his hands quickly cupping your jaw as he drew you in for a kiss. His lips pressed into yours, delicately savouring the taste. He drew his head back, slowly removing his hands from your jaw.  
"Does that answer your question?"  
"S-Soldier..."  
"You can call me Jack if you like."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to the people who commented!! I really really appreciate it <333\. Also, Soldier may be a bit OOC. sorry if he is!! Also, sorry for such a short chapter, lots of tests coming up and I really don't want to have a week where there isn't an update. Expect the next update late. I'm also working on the Christmas update, wink wink.


	8. Spicy Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader finds juggling their training and labwork a bit harder than expected. He struggles to come to terms with the fact that working overtime to make up hours is worse than working the hours he can. Feat. dorky Christmas sweaters

The cafeteria hadn't always been a calming place, but since hardly anyone was in during the early hours of the morning, you found it to be relaxing. Having some time to yourself and a mug of coffee had always helped you find your bearings, and always managed to keep you awake. You weren't exactly sure how you were going to tell Ana, or anyone else for that matter, about your relationship with Jack. It was awkward enough talking to Ana about the possibility of it, but now you two were a thing. Your heart skipped a beat thinking about it. Although, at this point you weren't even sure any of your friends would be bothered by it. Ana made it clear that she didn't condone it but would support you both regardless, and even if she didn't, you knew she'd come around eventually. Part of you knew that Dr. Ziegler and Winston wouldn't really want to ask you whilst alone in the lab, for fear of offending you. Your friends on the other hand, would soon find out about it, whether you liked it or not. Hell, it wouldn't surprise you if Tracer had already found out. She could read you like a book and had a knack for getting you to spill any secrets you had.  
"Oi love, why are you up so early eh?"  
_Speak of the devil._  
"J-just getting a cup of coffee, I'm planning on finishing off some work-in-progress tech." You took a sip from the coffee, setting it back down before looking at her "Why are you up so early?"  
"I have a mission today, some place got destroyed by Talon agents," She blinked towards the selection of food, returning back with a tray of some fruits and a cereal bar, "We're just scouting the area, nothing to worry about,"  
"Alrighty, good luck!"

The most difficult thing whilst undergoing sets of training simulations was keeping on top of your work, which was especially difficult due to the increased workload and stricter budget. You couldn't afford to be sloppy or lazy, time spent in the lab was time spent solely concentrating on your work. Winston and Dr. Ziegler were impressive enough that even with what little resources and time they had, they could always manage to exceed expectations and could even find time to relax, revising their progress and creations. The current tech you were working on was an amplifying clip, based on Dr. Ziegler's Caduceus staff's empowering function. You couldn't quite crack it, and although she gave you permission to make a clip based on her technology, you were adamant to create it on your own. Although weapon-making wasn't exactly your thing, you could fix some things, but not quite to the level Torbjörn could. He was an experienced mechanic with experience dating back before your birth. As much as you hated to admit it, he could damn well fix anything he was given, well almost anything. Couldn't fix his bad attitude towards Omnics, that's for sure. Everyone else seemed to ignore those tendencies, but it had bugged you. One of the founding members of Overwatch couldn't look at Omnics without disdain, you'd never confront him or anyone else about it, but you could never let something like that slide.

Fumbling about with the clip, you pressed into it with your forceps, removing the core delicately, placing it on the slide beside you. You sighed, taking out your notebook and jotting down some details. Very little came to mind when thinking of how to enhance someone's strength, perhaps electricity could stimulate muscles and increase strength. That would be far too risky, especially if they came into contact with water, that would be messy. You slapped the notebook down onto your desk before taking a sip of coffee. Cold. You must've gotten caught up in your work, it was nearing suppertime and you still hadn't even had lunch. Dr. Ziegler wasn't one for eating in the lab, too much chance for contamination and spillages, but she was always sweet enough to bring you a pastry between her odd visits to the cafeteria. You packed up your things, shoving the core and clip into a ziploc bag, throwing it into the drawer beside you alongside your notebook.

You weren't even all that tired when you got back to your room, more-so demotivated. Perhaps using a clip wasn't the way to go, maybe a bracer utilizing hard-light technology to dampen damage received and enhance physical hits. Maybe even just using a clip to attach to a weapon that electrified it or in some way increased output. You lay across your couch, turning on the HoloTV, communicator in hand playing some random tetris knock-off. You were drawn away from your game by the sound of knocking at your door,  
"Come in, door's open," You called over, not bothering to lift your head.  
"Have you even ate anything today?" Jack asked, closing the door, a tray of food in hand. He walked up to the coffee table, setting the tray down before turning off your HoloTV.  
"Y-yeah," You mumbled, trying your hardest not to grab the food on the table too quickly. "Dr. Ziegler brought me in some food from the cafeteria,"  
"Angela said you hadn't left your lab since you went into it," He sighed, shaking his head, "You shouldn't hole yourself up inside your lab all day, it isn't good for anyone."  
"Developing equipment isn't easy when we have the equivalent of a piggy bank for funding," You protested, stuffing some rice into your mouth.  
"Developing equipment isn't easy when you're busy doing field-training. Try not to kill yourself with work, you're only human. We worry about you." Jack urged, opening a bottle of water and placing it beside you.  
"S-sorry..." You frowned, looking at the bowl of curry in front of you.  
"You should get some rest, not everyone is so tired they wear their lab coat out." He chuckled, planting a kiss on your forehead.  
"...This curry is good..." You commented, shoving a spoonful in your mouth.  
"Oh, I'm glad, Ana said it wasn't half bad for cafeteria food." He smiled, "Can I have a taste?"  
You grinned, grabbing him and pulling his lips to yours. He bit down gently on them, savouring the mix of curry and your lips. You pulled away, chuckling up at him, curry sauce smeared over his mouth.  
"Permission for seconds, soldier?" He laughed, licking his lips.  


Any free time you had in between training and researching was spent with either Tracer, Ana or Jack. They didn't really seem to mind that you were rather busy with your research and were pretty understanding all things considered. Tracer found out you were dating Jack when she returned from her mission, popping in for a surprise visit which although appreciated, wasn't exactly the best time considering you were wearing one of his jackets. She merely giggled, dismissing the topic before gossiping about her mission. Apparently the Talon agents did a number on an old Overwatch lab, tearing it to pieces in hopes of finding some new technology they could use.

Free time was always welcome in your eyes, and after they gave you a couple weeks off for the holidays, you were more than ready some relaxation time. Although, you wouldn't consider it a "holiday", you would still be sent on missions, just not as frequently. You only had one mission allocated for that time, and it was a week before Christmas, so you basically had Christmas till New Years free. Most of your time spent with Tracer was watching funny videos or just hanging around the cafeteria, which was always brimming with agents nowadays. You continued your talks with Ana, but now you insisted she tell you old stories from her "glory days" as she referred to them. It was hard to believe how reckless Jack was, now he was precise and careful, never taking unnecessary risks like he did "back in the day". You weren't even all that sure he was part of Overwatch until Ana told you those stories, although it didn't really bother you all that much, you still kind of wished he told you about those stories. It'd be nice to hear his perspective for a change, seeing as he'd basically slaughter anyone who even thought about doing what he did.

Dorky Christmas sweaters always got you into the Christmas spirit, especially when coupled with hot chocolate and sweet treats. Christmas movies were always great, especially when you had someone to watch them with. As much as he pretended he didn't, Jack actually liked Christmas films, and didn't put up much of a fight when you suggested you watch one. It was one of those really old, bootleg versions of the classics, something that would split even Jack's sides. It was actually more romantic than you anticipated, you had your head resting on his shoulder and had almost dozed off a few times. Every now and then, you could hear him chuckle at the film, mostly due to the really terrible jokes or an animation error that the director kept in just for shits and giggles.  
"Hey Jack,"  
"Mm?"  
"You were part of Overwatch when you were younger right?"  
"Did Ana tell you some stories?" He didn't turn his head, merely raised his eyebrow, eyes glancing over to you.  
"Yeah, I heard you were pretty reckless. I'm glad you aren't like that anymore."  
"I'm not a young man anymore, I wouldn't last very long at my age. Missions are much more dangerous now we have fewer people."  
"O-oh, that reminds me," You got up off his shoulder, sitting upright on the couch, "Apparently I have to go on a scouting mission in Dorado." Your communicator in hand, you pulled up the mission statement, zooming in on the date and threat-level. Although you were able to go on D-ranked missions, you generally were sent on E-ranked to accompany some newbies. This was no exception. Apparently the Los Muertos bunch were kicking up a fuss, beating more Omnics and threatening civilians. Normally they would tag their crimes, but an increasing number of them were brutal and untagged.  
"Stay safe, Los Muertos members are known for brawling. You won't stand a chance against them if it comes close quarters."  
"H-hey, I have a mean kick." You half-protested, tossing a handful of popcorn in your mouth before laughing.  
"I'm serious, they won't hesitate to beat you senseless." He stressed, "I won't patronize you by calling you delicate, you're a soldier like me, but you don't have military training like I do."  
It was at times like these that his protective nature was more uptight than reasonable. He meant well and you knew it, but you weren't even required to engage in combat, just finding what was really going on. He was jumping to conclusions and although it was sweet, you couldn't help but feel as if he looked down on you.  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll take some close quarters combat lessons if it were to come to that." You assured him, getting up off the couch. "I'm heading to bed early, I've been a bit lenient on my training lately. Have to make up for lost time."  
"Alright y/n, good night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things were a bit saucccccccccy hoohoo.  
> anyway, the next update is gonna be 23rd, since 24th is Christmas Eve and I honestly doubt anyone would want to be reading this fanfic then lmaoooo.... Anyway, if anyone wants to be a beta or anything, I won't bite. I kind of need one.... I've seen at least 12 mistakes whilst rereading and stuff.  
> ALSO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR KUDOS AND ALL THE HITS!! Here's hoping you guys enjoy and stick around for future updates!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader begins prepping for their mission in Dorado, training and training in hopes of getting at least somewhat better at combat. Featuring a worried Mercy who takes it upon herself to keep her eye on Reader to see if anything is up with them. Everyone is aware there is something going on between Reader and Soldier at this point but Reader is pretty quiet so no-one really brings it up in fear of upsetting them.

Back to normal training yet again. The same old boring sets of exercises followed by combat training sessions. You weren't always particularly strict on yourself, but you had to make up for lost time. You'd practically skipped training for over a week now, and with Christmas coming up, healthy foods weren't exactly on the menu too often. Training was always boring and tedious and the last thing you'd ever want to do, but you'd literally die several times over on any missions if you didn't maintain at least a decent fitness level. By the time you'd finished your exercises, you were ready to call it quits. You had done more than you expected, and combat training could wait, but part of you knew you had to do more. You'd never be able to meet Jack's eyes if you were to take a beating from one of the Los Muertos thugs. 

You sighed, heading over to one of the training bots, setting your taser cannon on the ground. You'd forgotten just how heavy the thing was when you started training this morning, but it was good practice to do all of the exercises with it strapped to your back. Hell, that thing could incapacitate someone without actually shooting, a smack to the head would even leave Reinhardt dazed, even if only slightly. You kicked at the training bot, aiming for the flat surface of its torso, trying to apply as much pressure and force as possible with each kick. It didn't sustain too much damage, to your dismay, but you knew that any human would probably be winded at the very least from your flurry. There was no way in hell you were practicing punches, you'd probably do more damage to your hands than the bots, and kicks were the only thing you were comfortable trying to fight with. You lifted up your taser cannon, assessing its durability. The thing could definitely take a beating, and dish one out for that matter, definitely something you were glad to have considered. It wasn't exactly the most graceful of weapons, nor the most efficient, you'd basically fling it around like a handbag filled with bricks. But it would get the job done if someone with more strength than you were to come too close to fire. You slammed the back of the cannon into the bot's stomach before kicking it away. Each successful combo left your muscles sorer and you could feel the blood pulsing in your arms. It was only when you could no longer carry the cannon that you gave up, dropping it before laying on the ground. 

It took a good hour before your joints weren't aching so bad that you could actually pick up your cannon and head back to your room. You fumbled about with the keys, shoving it in the lock and practically kicking the door open. You flung yourself face-first onto the couch, if it weren't for the buzzing of your communicator, you probably would've fell asleep.  
Soldier_76: WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE CAFETERIA?  
y/n: I'll pick some food up later, don't worry about it!  
Soldier_76: I'LL BRING YOU OVER SOME FOOD IN ABOUT AN HOUR.  
y/n: Do I not have a say in this?  
Soldier_76: NO.  
At least you had time for a shower, because God did you need one. You turned the shower knob, allowing the water to first heat up before you stepped in. You shed your clothes, leaving them placed in a pile in the far corner of the room before entering the shower. The hot water cascaded down your body, soothing your throbbing muscles and aching bones. The fatigue of a days worth of training was soon fading under the heat and steam that filled the room and your core. Showers were always a great way to kick back and relax and let your stress melt away. It was a peaceful time, away from everyone and everything that allowed you to collect yourself and think things over. You'd find yourself drifting in and out of daydreams, made-up conversations, witty comebacks to arguments you had weeks or even years ago and the occasional flashback. You could hardly bring yourself to leave the shower, but it was nearing almost an hour since your text from Jack and you definitely didn't want to awkwardly hobble about in a towel in front of him yet again. You stepped out, drying yourself off, throwing on some pyjamas. Throwing yourself onto the couch, you could feel yourself soon drifting off.

Vision cloudy and body still partially sore, you propped yourself up on the couch, your eyes stinging from tiredness. There was a post-it note alongside a bowl of chow-mein. You pulled off the note and read it:  
SORRY, I SAW YOU SLEEPING AND DIDN'T WANT TO WAKE YOU. PLEASE LOCK YOUR DOOR, ITS NOT SAFE LEAVING IT UNLOCKED.  
It was cute he was worried about you leaving your door unlocked, but this was a private facility and people only really needed to lock their doors to keep others from walking in on them getting changed or whilst in the shower. You trusted everyone not to violate your privacy and to knock before entering. Hell, you wouldn't mind most of your friends coming in without knocking first. They weren't strangers to your habit of binging on random cartoons and cartoons or reading random fanfics on the couch in the dark, sipping away at some hot chocolate or coffee. Well maybe not Ana, it would be embarrassing for her to see you watching random cartoons when you're nearly 37. You snapped back out of your thoughts, picking up the bowl of chow-mein, piercing the cling film around it and placing it in the microwave. Nothing beat eating reheated chow-mein at 2am in the morning. Adult life wasn't all it was made out to be, and if you asked yourself as a kid "what you will you be like when you're an adult", you definitely wouldn't have expected to be as childish as you are. At least you made it into Overwatch, albeit a bit too late for your liking. The best years of your life were in Uni, when you were creating random devices and technology in hopes of getting recognized and inducted into Overwatch. God were you gullible and now had nothing to show for it. Some punk stole the equipment you made whilst you and your roommate were out, but thankfully they weren't past the prototype stage, so some shoddy second-rate equipment thrown together by a University student living on ramen noodles wouldn't be of too much concern to the public's safety. The only thing of concern was the crummy Gatling gun you made, and even then, it'd probably crumble after firing only a few rounds.

Fortunately, after your early morning dinner, you fell back asleep and slept until about 7am. Excluding the grogginess of initially waking up, you felt much healthier than you did the day before, that's for sure. One of the perks of working for Overwatch was the fact you got access to fitness enhancing supplements that multiplied the effects of any exercise you had done. You sat in the cafeteria, a mug of coffee in hand and a cereal bar in the other. Today you'd planned on working on some gear, or at very least get round to fixing any equipment that was in need of repair.

The lab was always quiet at this time of day, only the distant clatter of beakers from Dr. Ziegler's workbench and the occasional stream of water from the faucet. You placed your cannon on the workbench, taking it apart and checking the inner mechanics. Everything seemed to be working perfectly fine, there was no internal damage, with only minor external damage to the paintwork. It could definitely be used in close-quarters combat, seeing as bashing it into a training bot had practically only chipped off a bit of paint. Modifying it wasn't easy, due to the fact that machinery wasn't your forte, you more focused on equipment that enhanced certain abilities. Maybe you could add a strap to make carrying it easier, because lugging that thing around on missions would probably be more of a hindrance than the weapon could make up for, even if it could pummel a bad guy into the ground. Perhaps even create a magnetized gauntlet that allowed it to just hover near your hand, in theory it seemed plausible, but the force of attraction would probably have to be so strong that your arm would rip clean off. You were so deep in thought you hadn't even realized Dr. Ziegler was stood behind you.  
"Are you ok? Is something bothering you y/n?" She asked, a hand placed on your shoulder as she inspected your workbench.  
"Oh Dr. Ziegler, I hadn't noticed you there. Everything is fine, I'm just trying to think of something that could improve my field performance."  
"Perhaps you should modify your visor. You could make it analyse and assess the condition of even hostile entities." She suggested, pushing up her glasses after jotting something down in her notebook. "It is achievable, however I would consider pursuing it after your Dorado mission, altering your visor with this little time before the mission would be risky and unnecessary. Your performance is undoubtedly more than adequate for the task you're going to face."  
"Good idea. Thanks!" You smiled, jotting that idea down in your notebook. Dr. Ziegler never failed to help you improve your kit with minor suggestions that proved invaluable in actual combat situations. "Oh, I'm nipping along to the cafeteria for lunch, do you want anything?"  
"I'll join you, I just finished creating a batch of nanobiotic vials. They just need to stabilize for a little while." 

The cafeteria was, unsurprisingly, busy with agents and most of the good foods were taken. You scooped up a sandwich and a carton of orange juice, placing your money on the counter before heading off to your usual seat. Dr. Ziegler followed behind you, carrying a bowl of salad and some funky-looking smoothie that you were certain was more leaves than actual fruit.  
"I'm glad you took up field-work again y/n, you really weren't yourself for a while there," She smiled softly, mixing up her salad with a plastic fork before plopping a tomato in her mouth.  
"If it weren't for your and Winston's help, I probably would've left Overwatch entirely. I'm glad I found a way to help out, even if only a bit." She was visibly struck by your comment, surprise painting her face momentarily, before returning to normal.  
"I didn't know you were that upset. You really should've came to see me, you are really valued here y/n." You merely gave a soft smile in response, taking a bite from your sandwich. You were both quiet for quite some time after that, only finally breaking the tension when you both left.

It wasn't often you'd talk to Dr. Ziegler about her research specifically, but when you did, it was incredible. She knew far more than you could ever hope to, and even then she was constantly developing and evolving her techniques. It wouldn't surprise you if she could actually revive someone outwith the training simulations. She disappeared for a moment before returning, placing a batch of her nanobiotic serums on your desk. You'd forgotten to ask her to make some for you and, unsurprisingly, she was more on top of your work than you were. Taking the boiling tubes, you poured the contents into one of your clips, sealing it in.  
"Thanks, I forgot to ask you to make me some..." You chuckled, rubbing the back of your head.  
"It isn't easy to keep up with training and lab-work, if there's anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask y/n." She urged, taking the test tubes, "I'm going to get these heat-treated, is there anything you need decontaminated?"  
"No thanks, I've only been working on my cannon."  
"Alright. We should call it a day." She walked towards the autoclave, before turning her head back and calling, "If you're looking for a strap for your cannon, I can get one off of Torby for you."  
"Please!" You called back, putting your notebook back in your drawer.

It was nice getting to work with Dr. Ziegler so closely for that long, normally she was far too busy or you were training or testing your equipment. She kept much better track of time than you did and consequently, you could finally eat dinner at an appropriate time, as opposed to the 2am feast you had. It was nice to have a choice of what you could eat instead of getting whatever Jack thought you'd like. There wasn't much choice, but you could pick something healthy, or at least something that wouldn't ruin the efforts of your training. The menu in the cafeteria definitely wasn't anything to write home about, it was about as "homemade" as processed chicken. You could swear that they purposefully removed the flavour from half the things they made but you couldn't exactly complain, everything was dirt cheap, even the imported, fancy pastries they bought in.

Dinner wasn't half bad, you'd opted for some pasta since carbohydrates were always great for energy and it didn't hurt that there was a helping of tomatoes in the sauce. You and Dr. Ziegler mostly discussed the news, particularly the health and science section which you'd gotten into the habit of keeping an eye on. Eventually you got onto the topic of fellow Overwatch agents, particularly Jack. Dr. Ziegler had brought it up pretty smoothly, assuring you if you didn't want to discuss it, that she wouldn't press on the subject. She'd heard a few rumours and although she knew you wouldn't get mad about her asking, she decided to leave it a while before doing so. It was hard to believe that practically everyone had figured it out without either of you saying a word. Well, you assumed Jack didn't say anything, he did seem rather secretive when it came to such matters. Needless to say, gossip seemed to travel far quicker than you anticipated.  
"If you're up for it, we can go on a double date," She giggled, "I'm sure Fareeha wouldn't mind."  
"I'd have to see what Jack thought about it. He doesn't seem like the double-date type of guy."  
"That's understandable. He really has changed since the fall of Overwatch, unsurprisingly. It also didn't help when he and his boyfriend broke up after he was promoted to Strike Commander. They were really close prior to that."  
"That's terrible... He never really told me anything about that. Who was his boyfriend anyway?"  
"Gabriel Reyes. Currently he's a mercenary working with Talon. He was one of the last people I'd expect to turn rogue... He was always really sweet." She recalled, trying not to dwell on the topic too much. "Anyway, your mission is in two days isn't it? You can train all of tomorrow, I'll get the strap off of Torby and bring it to your quarters"  
"Thanks, I'm sorry about being such a bother Dr. Ziegler." You bit your lip, playing with one of the tomatoes on your plate.  
"Not at all, we're all here for you y/n, remember that. And please, call me Angela."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Dorado mission, featuring an OC of mine that I made up on the spot and will pop up in the fic a few more times if I can fit them in. Also, Soldier totally writes and texts in block capitals, you can fight me to the death over this one. A couple of notes about fic at this point:  
> -Although I've wrote Reader as male, I hope anyone can interpret themselves as reader and if anyone wants, I can erase any pronouns and mentions of gender to make it neutral  
> \- Reader is kind of quiet and reserved most of the time and comes off as docile, so everyone kind of treats them gently because they don't want to upset them. Even Mercy is kind of like "you really shouldn't be doing field missions" because Reader is slightly incompetent when it comes to close combat, but they make up for it with their equipment.  
> \- Reader doesn't have a set appearance, but they do have an "aesthetic". Since they're based off of my OC, they have a "panda " aesthetic, as in their jacket has cute little pandas on them and their gear is panda-motif (i.e. black and white jacket with panda face on it ,panda faces on the back of the nanobiotic clips. Swap out the panda aesthetic for any aesthetic you find particularly nice, i.e. bunny or squirrel or just ignore the aesthetic, it isn't mentioned, but I thought it'd be a neat thing to think about)  
> \- Reaper76 was canon pre-fall, but they broke up shortly before Jack took the position of Strike Commander. They grew distant and eventually Overwatch fell.   
> If anyone is curious about the sexuality of any of the characters just comment and I'll tell you specifically.  
> NOTE: HEADCANONS. THESE AREN'T CONFIRMED, NOR ARE THEY JUSTIFIED WITH ANY EVIDENCE GIVEN BY THE CANON LORE. MERELY SPECULATION AND BASED OFF OF INTERPRETATION OF INTERACTIONS.  
> Reader is your sexual orientation and gender (for obvious reasons)  
> Soldier:76 is bisexual   
> Reaper is homosexual  
> Mercy is pansexual  
> Pharah is asexual, biromantic


	10. Dorado

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader carries out their Dorado mission, leading a group of Overwatch rookies to gather intel on Los Muertos recent activity. They find themself uneasy being the leader of a group, albeit a small task force. An unsightly event leads to a sour face-off and reader begins to comprehend just how dangerous their job is.

Part of you was happy to get your mission prior to Christmas so that you didn't have it looming over you the entirety of the holiday, but part of you really just wanted to snuggle up with Jack for the entirety of the holidays. It was selfish and you knew it, but you couldn't help but wish someone else could take your place in this instance. But here you were, standing outside of the hovership, cannon slung around your shoulder with a group of newbies who you could more or less order to do anything even with what little authority you had. They were sweet however, you gave them that. What they lacked in skill and rank was made up and then some in their selflessness and eagerness to succeed and you couldn't help but imagine that's how you were perceived amongst the likes of Jack and Ana. The only one higher in rank than you was some agent called Vivienne, who seemed rather cold and calculating. Normally you'd feel uncomfortable with a leader such as that, but you knew she could probably handle something like this on her own and anything that could go wrong would be shortly fixed.  
"Agent y/n, you survey the area ahead alongside these 3, I will go with these 2 and check out the Lumérico building," Vivienne ordered, heading off to the power plant, followed by 2 nervous rookies. You merely nodded in response, giving your usual introduction and explanation of your gear to the rookies you were left with. They were all very respectful and honestly, you could get quite used to being called "Sir" or "Professor". The only reason there were so many of you was just to speed up the searching process, you and Vivienne were just there to deal with any gang members if the group were to encounter any stupid enough to engage, which you found to be highly unlikely. With the clothes you had on, they'd probably try and engage you, but seeing the military uniforms the others were wearing would've probably offset them. 

The combination of you and your 3 rookies was actually not all that bad composition-wise. You had two rifle users, one of which had aerial manoeuvrability and a woman with hard-light technology that could block and contain any enemy fire if it were to come to that. Her barriers were more potent and more consistently generated than your clips, which made your job basically just healing, which you were more than comfortable with. It wasn't until you had reached the fountain area that you had saw signs of Los Muertos, a few tags alongside some bullet shells.  
"Alright, Charlotte, the first sign of enemy fire and I want you to project barriers in front the sources. We have to keep any damage to a minimum." You instructed, looking over to Charlotte who was nodding, pressing buttons her her hard-light gear. "If you can't manage that, then at very least keep yourself, Vasco and Hasim safe. Vasco, if things go sour, flee and get us back-up. We'll try to contain the damage. Understood?"  
"Gotcha!"  
"Good. Charlotte, here's my barrier clip, the first sign of danger, I'll activate the barrier around you, focus on protecting Hasim and Vasco first." You tossed over the clip, she caught it in her hand before pinning it to her uniform.  
"Thanks sir."  
You activated your visor, "Alright, Vasco, can you fly up and give us an aerial?". He nodded, activating the mechanical wings strapped to his back, a visor popping over his eyes. In an instant he bounded up into the sky, fluttering up and down.  
"Sir, I have a visual on an Omnic getting beat by a group of thugs. They appear to have luminescent face paint on, I think they're part of Los Muertos. We have to engage." Vasco called over the communicator, he zoomed over to the location.  
"Charlotte, Hasim, standby until further orders are given. I'll give Vasco backup, you protect this area from any other threats." You didn't wait for a response, you sprinted as fast as you could. He was outnumbered and he dove headfirst into the area, there was no time to waste.

By the time you arrived, Vasco had engaged the group of thugs. Despite being only E-ranked, to your knowledge, he could damn well fight. He grabbed a thug by the arm, spinning him around before unleashing a devastating kick to his back that made even you wince. The thug, unsurprisingly, was knocked unconscious by his onslaught, the remaining two debating whether or not they should run. Vasco turned to the other two thugs, cracking his knuckles.  
"If I ever catch any of your wannabe-gangster asses touching another innocent civilian..." He growled, walking over to the pair. You ran over to the Omnic, who lay on the ground, his eyes flickering weakly in desperation and pain. You choked back tears as the Omnic held out his hand, you rummaged through your pockets, pulling out your remaining nanobiotic clips and attaching them to his chest.  
"H-hang in there, we'll get you medical attention. Everything's alright, you're safe now." You held the Omnic's hand and looked over to Vasco, who at this point managed to scare off the gang members. Vasco came over and knelt down beside the Omnic, lifting him up as gently as he could, heading off towards the rest of your group. He didn't dare attempt to fly to the group, the Omnic was on his last legs and would've died from even the slightest amount of force at this point. Although nanobiotic serum was pumping into him, the Omnic was desperately in need of medical attention and would soon die without it. 

You had decided to stay further back from Vasco. If any gang member were to get to him and the Omnic, they'd have to go through you first, and you didn't intend on letting that be easy. After seeing the state of the Omnic, you felt rage welling up within you. You wouldn't allow anymore harm to come to him, even if it meant your life. Gunfire echoed throughout the area, clouds of dust erupting from the ground as bullets sprayed every inch. You ran to cover, taking refuge in some random building. Thankfully Vasco was further ahead of you at this point and probably made it back to the group. The sound of gunfire got closer and closer until it stopped. Only the clang of an ammo belt and footsteps approaching you. _Damnit. You definitely couldn't engage at long range. It was down to close-quarters._ You drew in a quick breath before standing up, your visor picking up only the faintest figure in the cloud of dust. Now or never. You dashed out the door, ramming into the figure with your cannon, the grunt of the man muffled by the clatter of the gun hitting the ground. In a frenzy, you scrambled for it, lobbing it to God-knows-where with all your might. The cloud of dust had subsided all too soon, you found yourself struck in the back as you threw the gun. You stumbled forward, turning around, readying your cannon. The man quickly wrapped his hands around your throat, slamming you into the wall with a vice-like grip. Breath slowly being squeezed out of you, your legs flailed in desperation, slamming into the man with what little strength you had left in them. He slammed his fist into your face with enough force that you could barely continue to struggle. He let go, your body falling to the ground as your vision clouded. Shards of your visor splintered his fist and bit into your own skin.  
"Damnit. You're going to pay for that." You flung your arms instinctively in front of your face, awaiting the impact. Your vision failing you, you could hardly make head-nor-toe of the situation if it weren't for your ears.  
"Leave him alone!" Charlotte screamed, beams of what you presumed to be hard-light, whizzing past the man. A scramble of voices and ammunition sounded, as footsteps rushed over to you. By the sound of things, Vasco was fighting the thug, slamming him into the wall with enough force that you could feel the vibrations. This continued for about a minute before Vasco came running over to you alongside Charlotte.  
"A-are you alright y/n?!" Vasco's voice was desperate, it sounded as if he was on the verge of tears. You shook your head, you couldn't muster up any words, the burning in your throat making even breathing painful. With all your effort, you managed to prop yourself up. The stinging in your right eye had subsided enough so that you could actually open it, but your left eye hurt like Hell, you could hardly focus with it throbbing so much. 

It appeared only your group had encountered Los Muertos, with Vivienne's group finding practically nothing aside from some dubious paperwork and files on some entity named "Sombra" and on Soldier:76. Thankfully, you were back on the hovership and had access to a restroom to check your face out and fix it as best you could before Jack saw just how badly you were beaten. The top of your left cheek was bleeding, your left eye was, thankfully, only partially black but your lip was most definitely busted. Your nanobiotic clips had managed to heal the swelling in your eye and the burning sensation in your throat, allowing you to speak albeit a bit hoarsely. Thankfully you hadn't made the adjustments Dr. Ziegler recommended to your visor, the left half was almost completely gone and the right half was cracked so badly you could hardly make out anything. God, if Jack saw you in this state, his nagging would be more likely to kill you than the thug would've.

It wouldn't be long before you got back home, and there was no way you could sneak past Jack, he'd be waiting on you with some lukewarm cafeteria dish and desperate to hear how your mission went. There was no way he'd let the black eye slide, he'd probably lose his head and want to track down the gang member, even if you did say that Vasco kicked his ass so hard even you felt sorry for the guy. Standing around in the restroom looking at your reflection in your communicator wasn't going to fix your eye, you may as well man up and try to keep your mind off it for the remainder of the journey. You left the restroom, shoving your communicator in your pocket. Vasco was stood outside, waiting on you with a first aid kit amongst a few other things.  
"y/n, I've got some bandages and plasters. The Omnic is in critical condition, but the medics say he'll make a full recovery." His voice was gentle, barely louder than a whisper. "There are a few other things, but let's get you patched up first." He pulled out a plaster from the kit, gingerly placing it over the cut on your cheek.  
"I know you wanted to keep me and the Omnic safe but..." He trailed off, trying not to sound too naggy. He dabbed at your lip with a wet cloth, trying his best not to let it linger long enough for it to sting. You didn't know how you were to respond. You couldn't tell him that the only way you felt valuable was risking and almost sacrificing your life for the safety of others. Or that you needed the validation of protecting others. You could hardly protect yourself yet here you were, throwing your life on the line where it could very well mean death. Not everyone was able to effortlessly go toe-to-toe with thugs like Jack or Vasco could, but you'd be damned if you'd let that stop you. Overwatch was your way to make a difference, to finally be able to protect the people who needed it. You sighed,  
"Vasco, I'm no soldier like you, but I won't stop myself from protecting those who need it. I may be docile, but I don't want to be known as a coward."  
"y/n..." He took a sharp breath, perking up, "Guess I've got to have your back then!" He laughed, pulling out a makeup bag. "Here, let's get your eye looking normal again. Not sure how we're gonna hide the busted lip, but... that'll do for now." He dabbed gently around your eye, using various different types of makeup. He held up a small handheld mirror, the blackness around your eye now concealed. "How's that?"  
"Much better, I owe you one!"  
"Don't worry bout it buddy! At least your boyfriend won't scold your ear off now, eh?" He joked, nudging at you before putting away the makeup. He paused for a moment before asking, "You do have a boyfriend right? It'd be awkward if I mixed you up with someone else."  
"Yeah, my boyfriend is Soldier: 76," You squinted your eye at him. _What was that supposed to mean? Were they talking about you behind your back at base?_  
"Ooooh," He sharply inhaled, "Good luck man." He slapped you on the back before leaving. _What?_

By the time you'd gotten back, it was just before 3 in the morning and you could hardly walk. You were hungry, tired and beaten up pretty damn badly, and if it weren't for the fact Jack was still waiting up for you, you'd probably have fumbled around with your keys for about 10 minutes before finally getting the damn thing in. It was dark, but he could still see the plaster on your face and busted lip and your "please don't be mad" puppy-dog eyes. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, his voice gentle but commanding  
"Dinner is in the microwave. Go get some rest." Part of you knew every fibre of his being was debating whether or not to scold you but he couldn't bring himself to, not when you were in such a state. Trudging across to the microwave, you could hear Jack fidgeting about with his communicator, the patter of thumb to screen being the only noise save the whirring of the microwave. Pulling out the food with a bit too much eagerness, you plopped onto the couch. You had practically inhaled the entire bowl of food in seconds, slurping up the noodles a tad too eagerly. Jack hadn't looked up from his communicator, still tapping away at the screen before slipping it back into his pocket.  
"Set an alarm for 0700. Ana's going to give you close quarters combat training at 0800." His voice lost its gentle tone, adopting that of a drill sergeant's. You'd almost spat out your drink after it had finally sunk in. 4 and a bit hours of sleep at very most.  
"But it's 3 am right now," You thought, not daring to protest it. Any argument you'd have would shortly be either dismissed or countered. "Alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so Vasco is the only fleshed out OC, Charlotte, Hasim and Vivienne are just named so they aren't entirely "throwaway characters. Vasco's bio is here ( http://sta.sh/0252aw0qfmva ). Since this is an AU, I took the liberty of messing around with the ages of the characters a bit to better fit in with what I want to do with the story. Vasco is about 23, and never got to be accepted into Overwatch before it fell.  
> Here is the character "Reader" is based on, ( http://sta.sh/0v6fnpcemmo ). His motif is a panda, and his alias is "Pandamonium", but I just call him Pandad since he is basically the "dad friend". Reader's equipment is Pandad's "concept equipment" and I don't really care that much for it now, so it's just going to be that until further notice. ALSO. I AM SO SORRY I HAVENT BEEN UPLOADING THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I was extremely sick into the New Year (bed-ridden for an entire day and couldn't eat) and I've left off writing the next chapter for the last fortnight, so this is all I had left. I have preliminary exams next week so I won't be uploading!! Dreadfully sorry!!! I won't update until probably February if I'm lucky.


	11. Close Combat Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader has a lesson from Ana in close-quarters combat, learning how to evaluate and assess the situation and their opponents. They pop into the lab, having a quick chat with Dr Ziegler before helping her sort out some things. They then grab lunch at Soldier's quarters and some serious talk occurs.

Even though the beds you were provided were basically slabs of hard mattress, it had taken you a good half hour before you could bring yourself to leave it.  _Barely enough time for a shower._ You turned on the shower, clumsily lathering some shampoo into your hair before reaching over to the sink, grabbing your toothbrush and toothpaste. As kind and understanding as Ana was, there was no way you were going to be late, Jack would probably be with her just to make sure she actually went along with the training. In a hurried frenzy, you left the shower, quickly drying off and slipping into your gear. A quick check in the mirror before heading out the door was all you had time to do after downing a mug of coffee and slinging a sports bag over your shoulder. You were too damn tired to fret over your black eye, it was almost 8 in the morning and you were running on microwaved chow-mein and 4 hours of sleep. The black eye was the bloody least of your concerns.  
  
    You rushed over to the training room as quick as you could, bursting through the doors as Ana and Jack stood waiting for you. From the reaction Ana gave, you must've looked horrible, Jack could hardly speak, merely shaking his head before leaving the room.  
"You've definitely seen better days, that's for sure. You should get some rest after this, I'm sure Jack won't object." Her voice was gentle, but you could tell that this wasn't a request or a suggestion, she fully expected you to comply.  
"Alright..." You looked around, no signs of any training dummies or punching bags. "What am I going to be practising on?"  
"You'll be training with me, no equipment."  
"R-right..."   
"Alright. First things first, you need to assess your opponent's greatest strength and avoid situations where that will excel. Instead, focus on what they sacrifice in order to achieve that strength. Enemies with bulk are difficult to deal with, instead focus on out-speeding them, escaping if you can."  
"What if I can't escape?"  
"If you can't escape then use your cannon. It's hard to miss an opponent that's blocking your only exit. Your weapon could stun even Winston. Where is your cannon anyway?" She glanced over your shoulder at the sports bag you dropped upon entering.   
"I...didn't bring it, sorry. All I have in there are my nanobiotic clips." You rubbed the back of your neck. "A-And a pistol for protection!" You added, trying not to seem like the defenceless moron you were.  
"Well anyway, you should never stray too far from your group, so this advice should hopefully never be needed."  
  
    Ana had taken you through a few exercises where you aimed for vital spots with your palm, getting you a bit more proficient at striking pressure points to knock the wind out of your opponent. She also gave you a few lessons on exchanging blows, how to block them and how to properly counter if necessary. Although you weren't going to be some "kung-fu" master, you could definitely beat your past self up now. Well, a wet blanket probably could've done the job after the performance you had given last night.  
"Alright. Training is over, for now, good job y/n. Go get some rest, you need it." Her smile was a strange mix of pride and concern as her gaze lingered on your black eye. "Look after yourself."  
  
    On your way back, you slipped into the lab, strapping on a pair of goggles in hopes of obscuring your eye. Normally you wouldn't have gone to the lab the day after a mission, but you definitely had to start working on a new visor, seeing as you could hardly make out writing 3 feet in front of you without contacts. Seeing as your old visor was very much breakable, you'd probably have to opt for a frame that utilised hard-light technology. Sure, having to fix it every time it broke would be a major pain in the ass, but the fragments would dissipate before doing any real harm to you.  
"I thought you'd be resting up after your mission, y/n." Dr Ziegler laughed behind you, "But I am glad to see that you seem well."  
"Thanks! I'm just nipping in to get a head-start on my new visor. Probably going to opt for something that uses hard-light technology so that only the frame needs repairing." You turned around, pushing your goggles up past your fringe so that they rested just above your forehead. Dr Ziegler was carrying an uncomfortably large pile of notebooks, all of which seemed to be her own and filled to the very covers with random notes and observations she made. "Oh sorry! Let me give you a hand with those." You carefully took the top half of the pile, trailing behind her like a lost puppy. "Where are you taking these anyway?"   
"I'm just taking them to my quarters, I keep an archive of my work."  
"I suppose this is light reading for the likes of you, eh?" You laughed, trying not to seem too disheartened by her competence.  
"I don't read over them too often, only when I'm working on medicines and treatments. Anyway, I'll give you your check-up as soon as I get this archived."  
"What?"  
"Jack came into the lab earlier. He asked specifically that I was to be the one to see to your eye."   
You couldn't help but chuckle, he was that concerned over a black eye? Even Dr Ziegler didn't seem all that concerned over it, yet there he was, asking on your behalf. It was sweet and you couldn't help but feel a bit fuzzy when you remembered just how much he really did care.  
"Alright, we're here, can you hold these whilst I unlock the door?" She plopped her pile on top of yours, pulling out a key with a caduceus key-chain and opening the door. She threw the keys on a mini-table near the door, something she seemed to do far too often by the amount of scratching it seemed to have. She took back her half of the pile, making her way towards a large cabinet bursting with piles of paper and notebooks. Although the rest of her room was spotless, her desk was the opposite of what you expected from her. Torn pages from her notebook lay strewn across the top of it and crumpled up pieces of paper thrown just short of the bin.  
"Sorry, I've been so preoccupied with work I haven't had time to clear up my desk... Well, thank you y/n! Let's get a look at your eye." She gestured you over to take the seat at her desk. She crouched down to get to eye level before making you follow her finger then testing for concussion. It didn't take any longer than 5 minutes before she gave you the A-ok and you went to go pack up your stuff in the lab.  
  
    By the time you got back to your room it was just past noon. You'd planned on throwing your sports bag in and scooting off to the canteen in hopes of grabbing a very late "brunch" but stopped just outside your door with a text from Jack.

Jack <3: HEY, I BOUGHT YOU LUNCH FROM THE CAFETERIA  
y/n: Oh thanks! I'll be right over  
Jack <3: I CAN BRING IT TO YOU IF YOU PREFER.   
y/n: No it's fine, I'll be there in a couple minutes.  


You didn't often visit Jack in his quarters, you much preferred staying in your own due to the fact you had access to movies you actually liked and not some of the "classics" Jack made you watch to "enrich your tastes". In fact, most of the time when you hung out with anyone, it was either in your quarters or somewhere like the practice range or cafeteria. The only exception being Ana, who you were pretty sure had the cosiest room you'd ever been in. Unlike Jack's mementoes such as his old army tag and a few photos of his parents' farm in Indiana, Ana had photos of her daughter Fareeha and Overwatch recruits she trained. Most of her tables had a few small ornaments she'd received as gifts and there was always a biscuit tin in the centre of her coffee table. Much to your surprise, Jack had actually left his door unlocked. You gave a quick little knock before entering, throwing off your shoes at the entrance, neatly aligning them with his. He appeared out of nowhere, holding out your lunch in a paper bag.  
"I wasn't sure of what exactly you wanted, so I just got what I see you normally eat."  
"Thanks!" You looked into the paper bag, "What's the smoothie?"  
"Pineapple and papaya. Angela said it promoted healing."  
You couldn't help but snicker, "It's just a black eye. Plus, I just need to apply some cream to it and it'll be gone in a day" You leant over, giving him a peck on the cheek, "Still appreciate it, though."  
"You're going to be the death of me," He sighed, gesturing for you to join him on the couch. You pulled out your lunch, eating it as you watched some old sitcom that you were pretty sure was too old for even him. "How did training go?"  
"Well, I can definitely beat up "me" a day ago that's for sure!" You chirped, stuffing your mouth with a sandwich.  
"The battlefield isn't a place for scientists. You could stand to take it a bit more seriously."   
"What about Dr Ziegler? You don't seem to have any quarrel letting her."  
He sighed, "She has proper combat training, unlike you. Our enemies won't hesitate for a second before blowing your pretty little head off."  
"I know what I signed up for. Not all of us are perfect soldiers, but I'm going to at least try to help however I can."  
"Not much help if you wind up dead."  
"That's reassuring."  
"Just... Don't die, ok? It's too easy to lose hope and just, "let things be". Never give up, you've still got a lot of life to live. You're young still."  
"I... I'll try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it took me like over a month to update a single chapter. I really haven't had much motivation to continue with it due to schoolwork and the fact my laptop is completely busted, well the screen at least. I have to hook it up to the TV for it to work, and you know how little privacy you have when somethings on the TV. Anyway, my new computer should HOPEFULLY be able to run Overwatch and I can play on PC instead of PS4!! Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. If anyone has anything specific they'd like to see, drop it in the comments section and I may implement it. (By may I mean I probably will since comments make me almost cry because I'm so honoured you take even a few moments to drop by and show your appreciation!)


End file.
